'Homebound' Wins India's Oscar Bid After CBFC Approves with 11 Cuts

On September 26, 2025, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved Neeraj Ghaywan's film 'Homebound' for release, but only after enforcing 11 modifications. The changes included trimming 77 seconds of footage and shortening a crucial cricket match sequence by 32 seconds.

Backed by Dharma Productions and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, 'Homebound' has also been selected as India's official entry to the Oscars this year. The Examining Committee of the CBFC had raised multiple objections to the film, leading it to be reviewed by the Revising Committee. After the 11 mandated changes, the RC eventually cleared 'Homebound' with a U/A 16+ certificate on September 12.

The modifications involved muting or replacing words in six instances, cutting a five-second dialogue, and removing a two-second visual of a man performing puja. Other edits included muting a dialogue, deleting the word 'gyaan', and trimming various shots and sequences. Following these changes, the film's final runtime now stands at 122 minutes.

Despite the cuts, 'Homebound' has been officially selected to represent India at the Oscars. According to a review, the film "doesn't just make you watch; it makes you witness. And once you've witnessed, you can't claim you didn't know."